


The Houseguests

by ThatRavenclawBitch



Series: Where is My Mind [6]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Stargate Universe
Genre: F/M, Yet another update to this neverending 'verse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2018-09-14 15:32:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9189521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatRavenclawBitch/pseuds/ThatRavenclawBitch
Summary: After a mishap at their apartment, Rush and Lacey have to move in with Gold and Belle.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is from TMI Tuesday prompts on tumblr, but something important to the main 'verse happened so now it's on AO3.

It was a nightmare turned into reality. It was an abomination. It was a bloody terrible case of bad luck. But somehow Nicholas Rush found himself staring up at John Gold’s mansion with the uncomfortable realization that it would be his home for the next few weeks.

A busted water heater had been the culprit, arriving home one evening to find his entire flat covered in several inches of water. Lacey, for her part, seemed remarkably unfazed by their predicament, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she waited for Rush to collect their luggage.

“Can’t we just stay with your father?” he inquired, shouldering Lacey’s heavy duffel bag from the trunk of his car. “I don’t see why this is necessary.”

Lacey leveled him with a look. 

“The super said it would take 3 weeks to replace the floors and the sheetrock. Do you really want to go that long without sex? Because my bedroom is next door to my dad’s and the walls are paper thin.” 

Rush glowered at her, but continued to shuffle up the stairs to the pink monstrosity Gold called a house. 

“You know I can’t stand him, right?” he said without much conviction. In truth, they probably wouldn’t be seeing Gold and Belle all that much. They spent most of their time in Boston these days and were rarely in residence in their second home in Storybrooke. But something about staying in Gold’s house rankled Rush. He felt like he was mooching and if there was one thing he’d never been it was a mooch. 

Lacey just rolled her eyes. “I’m not his biggest fan either, but he is our brother in law. He’s not going anywhere.” 

At that moment the front door burst open and Belle came rushing down the front steps.

“You’re here!” Lacey’s eternally sunny sister exclaimed. “The fridge is all stocked, the guest bedroom is ready and there are fresh towels in the hall closet.”

Rush just blinked at her, unprepared for such a welcome.

“I’m so excited,” Belle exclaimed. “We never have guests and I haven’t had a sleepover with Lacey in ages.”

“Aren’t you guys headed back to Boston?” Lacey asked tentatively. “I don’t want to impose or anything.”

Belle just waved a hand. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re here for the whole weekend to get you guys settled.”

Gold appeared in the doorway looking even less enthusiastic about the arrangement than Rush felt. 

“Hey,” he said in a deadpan, leaning on his cane as though already exhausted at the prospect of a whole weekend with visitors. 

“John’s thrilled,” Belle said with a sharp look over her shoulder. “Now come in!”

She grabbed the duffel bag from Rush’s shoulder, lugging it up the steps with a manic gleam in her eyes. 

“Your sister is far too excited,” Rush whispered to Lacey as they followed her up the steps of the house. 

Lacey just shrugged. “It’ll be fun, I promise.”

Rush gave her a skeptical look. “If she pulls out board games I’m out.”

“I hope you guys like Monopoly!” Belle called back behind her. 

Rush let out a groan and Lacey grabbed him by the elbow. 

“Sex, remember?” she gritted out.”No sex at Moe’s.”

Rush just clenched his teeth. Perhaps it wasn’t too late to book a hotel.


	2. Chapter 2

“What are you still doing here?” 

Rush startled at Lacey’s voice. He’d been slumped over his desk, half asleep. A quick glance at the clock on the wall told him it was after midnight. A quick glance to the doorway of his office told him his wife was not happy.

“Sorry,” he said, rubbing  a hand across his unshaven face. “Had to work.”

“Yeah it really looks like you were burning the midnight oil, there,” Lacey scoffed, moving into the office. She dropped her purse into the chair across from his desk, crossing her arms against her chest. “What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing,” Rush said with a shrug. “As I said, I had to work. I was just about to pack up and come home.”

With that in mind he began to shuffle together some of the papers spread across his desk. 

“Yeah,” Lacey sounded unconvinced. “Just working late. Like last night. And the night before. And pretty much every night last week.”

“I’m committed to my job, Lacey,” he ground out. “You know that.” 

Lacey blanched, hurt fluttering across her eyes before she straightened up, jutting out her chin.

“I also know that we’ve only been married three months and if my husband is already avoiding me that doesn’t exactly bode well for ‘til death do us part.”

Now Rush was confused. He scooped the mess of papers into his satchel before standing up. 

“What are you talking about? I’m not avoiding you.”

Lacey’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What do you call sleeping sitting up in your office instead of in bed with your wife?”

Rush sighed. “I’m not avoiding _you_ ,” he clarified. “I’m avoiding _them._  Belle and Gold.”

Lacey just shook her head. “They aren’t even at the house. They’ve been in Boston all week. We have the place entirely to ourselves.”

“I know,” he said. “But it’s still their house. I can’t get comfortable there, Lacey. It’s not like I can lounge around in my underwear in someone else’s home.”

Lacey wrinkled her nose. “You don’t lounge around in your underwear at our house.”

“No,” he agreed. “But I have the option.” 

“You’re ridiculous,” she cried, grabbing her purse from the seat. “Go ahead and sleep in your office in your underwear. I’m going home where I’m going to slip between satin sheets completely naked and then get myself off because my husband is too busy sulking to do the job.”

With that lovely mental image planted in his head, Lacey spun around and stormed out of the office. 


	3. Chapter 3

It was odd coming home to a house that wasn’t yours. 

Rush pulled his car up in front of the monstrous pink mansion and shut off the ignition. He braced his hands against the steering wheel and let out a sigh.

He’d fucked up. He knew he’d fucked up. He knew if he went inside that house right now, Lacey would reiterate that he had fucked up. This was hardly their first fight in three months of marriage, but it seemed the most serious for some reason. And it was all so stupid. A busted water heater, a flooded apartment, a few weeks staying at her sister’s house, these shouldn’t be things that seriously impacted the life they’d built together. And yet here he was, sitting outside his brother-in-law’s house and dreading going inside. 

“Just do it, you wanker,” he growled, forcing himself out of the car. 

For God’s sake, his wife was angry because she wanted him to come home at night. For some borderline insane reason she wanted him in her bed and in her life and instead of taking that for the gift it was he was spending every evening in his office, cold and alone. All because of his stupid ego. 

He was a bloody idiot. 

The house was dark as he entered, not a single light left on to welcome him. It was eerily quiet as well and as he made his way upstairs he thought perhaps Lacey had come straight home and gone to bed. He followed after her almost immediately. She couldn’t have arrived more than a few minutes ahead of him.

There was a strip of light cutting across the darkened upstairs hallway from beneath the guest room door, just a sliver of gold in the gloom, and it called to him like a beacon. The light was on, she was still awake. 

He knocked gently on the door, feeling it give slightly under the pressure of his knuckles. When Lacey didn’t respond, he pushed the door open further.

She was not naked beneath satin sheets as she had claimed. Instead she was wearing an oversized t-shirt, her makeup washed away and her hair thrown up in a messy bun. She was curled up in the middle of the bed, her arms wrapped around herself and looking so incredibly tiny it was almost shocking. Lacey’s personality was so big it was sometimes easy to forget how petite she really was.

She didn’t look up as the door creaked open, just curled in closer to herself and wiped away what looked suspiciously like a tear.

“I’m sorry,” Rush said from the doorway. 

Lacey nodded, still not looking at him. 

“I know,” she said. 

“Sweetheart, my bad behavior has nothing to do with you, I swear it,” he continued, walking in to the room and shutting the door behind him, sealing them away together despite the rest of the house being empty. 

“Of course it does,” she shot back, sitting up and folding her bare legs underneath her. “You apparently hate Gold and my sister so much that you can’t bear to stay in their house even if I’m all but begging you to. I wasn’t thrilled about being out of our home either, but I’m dealing with it like an adult not sulking away like a teenager.”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “That’s not it.”

“Then what?” Lacey demanded. “What’s so terrible about this situation that you’d rather just not spend a moment with me for weeks on end than stay here?”

Rush twisted his hands together, coming to stand at the foot of the bed. 

“I’m never going to be able to provide all this for you,” he said haltingly, motioning around the guest bedroom. “The multiple houses, the vacations, the fucking jewelry your sister has. I’m a professor, not a billionaire.”

Lacey’s eyes widened, her mouth dropping open. 

“And you think I care about that?” she asked, looking affronted.

“No,” he agreed. “But I’m afraid that doesn’t keep me from feeling inadequate.”

“So, what,” she asked, pushing herself up on her knees and crawling to the edge of the bed so they were eye to eye. “This is all about your ego or something? You’re jealous of Gold’s _stuff_?” 

“Not really,” he said with a wrinkled nose. “I think his taste is a little garish.”

Lacey rolled her eyes. “But the fact he’s rich makes you feel inadequate?”

Rush shrugged. “It makes me feel like a mooch, living off my wealthier relations.”

Lacey snorted at that. “We’ll be back in our apartment next week,” she insisted. “We’re hardly moving in permanently.” 

“Thank God for that,” he agreed. 

“But we’re okay?” she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Of course we are. I love you, Lacey. That will never change.”

Lacey bit back a grin, pulling herself flush against Rush’s chest. “Well, I can promise you I don’t find you inadequate in the least. In fact, I could show you how much more than adequate you are if you’d just finally come to bed.”

Rush kissed the grin off her face, pushing her back against the mattress. It was good to come home. 


	4. Chapter 4

It was a peaceful Friday afternoon. Nick was at the university, Gold was at his shop, Belle was out running errands, and Lacey had the entirety of the house to herself.

She was trying to decide what exactly to do with all this freedom. She could slide around on the hardwood floors in her socks. She could sneak into Gold’s study and move everything on his desk an inch to the left. She could set the parental controls on the television in the den to block all the financial news channels.

Lacey heaved a sigh. She actually didn’t feel much like pranking her brother-in-law today. It had been a long week. Nick was still clearly uncomfortable about staying with Gold despite his efforts to try. They’d gotten word that it would be an extra week before they could be back in their apartment and she was worried about the strain on her marriage. Not that she thought this would break them, exactly. But Nick was being secretive again. He didn’t have a class on Friday afternoons and yet he was at work.

She grabbed her phone, deciding to call him up and try to entice him home early, but after ringing a few times she was sent straight to voicemail. If he wasn’t in class and he didn’t have any meetings, why wasn’t he answering?

She tried again to the same results. Well, that was frustrating. She called once more and left a voicemail for him to get back to her before heading upstairs to her bedroom. She’d take a shower and then perhaps she’d go to the university herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Nick. She was sure he wasn’t up to anything nefarious. But she didn’t want him sliding back in to the pattern of spending all his time at school to avoid being at Gold’s. She’d just finally talked him back from that particular ledge.

She went in to the adjacent bathroom, pulling aside the shower curtain and turning on the tap ready to relieve the stress of the week with a nice hot shower. The tap gave a groan and a small trickle of water dripped out of the showerhead. Certainly not the pounding pressure she was used to.

Lacey turned the tap as far as it could go with only marginally better results.

“Fuck,” she sighed, turning off the tap and grabbing her phone again.

“Hey!” came Belle’s chipper voice from the other end. “I’ve just got a few stops left to make and then I’ll be home.”

“That’s not why I’m calling,” Lacey said, tucking the phone to her shoulder and fiddling with the taps once more. “The shower in the guest bathroom isn’t working. It’s like there’s no water pressure. It’s coming out at a drip.”

“Oh,” Belle said distractedly. “I’ll call the plumber and get him to drop by tomorrow morning.”

“Great,” Lacey replied. “What do I do in the meantime?”

“You can use the shower in our room,” Belle offered. “It’s a nicer bathroom anyway. We’ve got the Jacuzzi jets in the bathtub.”

“I know what you and Gold get up to in that bathtub, I’m not taking a bath,” Lacey shot back. She could almost feel her sister rolling her eyes through the telephone line.

“Well we have a shower too,” she countered. “The rain head is amazing. Towels are in the closet next to the toilet and feel free to use my shampoo. It’s the good stuff.”

“Great, thanks.”

“No problem!” Belle said. “I’ve gotta go though. Something’s just come up.”

Her sister hung up the phone abruptly and Lacey almost thought she heard Nick in the background before the line went dead. That couldn’t be though. Her husband and her sister had little enough to do with each other, it’s not as though they’d be hanging out without her. If anything, the masculine Scottish voice she heard belonged to Gold though she hated seeing similarities between she and Belle’s husbands.

Pushing the thought out of her mind, she grabbed her bag of toiletries and headed down the hall.

Belle and Gold’s bedroom was the one place she hadn’t set foot since moving in two weeks ago. It seemed wrong, somehow, to intrude on their personal sanctuary.

She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but the rose-colored walls and gold duvet certainly weren’t it. The room was huge with a large set of French doors that led on to a private balcony. There was a fireplace with a sitting area around it. The bed itself was dark mahogany, masculine and certainly nothing her sister would have picked. She knew Belle had basically designed the entirety of their house in Boston and wondered if this bedroom was a relic of Gold’s bachelor days. It was an intriguing thought, that perhaps she was seeing a part of Gold she never had before.

The bathroom was state of the art, marble floors and a huge walk in shower in addition to Jacuzzi tub Belle had mentioned. Lacey felt like it was her own personal spa. The shower had a curved bench cut in to the marble wall, probably a concession to Gold’s bad leg. Lacey couldn’t help but think it would be quite convenient for shower sex and then shuddered at the thought.

She stripped down, tossing her clothes into the corner and stepped in to the shower, giving the bench a wide berth. There were various taps that seemed connected to various showerheads. There was the rain head above her that Belle had mentioned as well as a handheld for those hard to reach places and a few that seemed to shoot water out at you from the walls. Turning the knobs she eventually settled on the rain head and handheld, quickly lathering up and letting the hot water beat down on her tired shoulders. She was pretty sure she could stay in this shower forever.

* * *

It wasn’t uncommon for Gold to come home early on a Friday. While he spent most of his time in Boston these days, there was the occasional matter back in Storybrooke that required his attention. A zoning issue with the city had brought him back this week and he’d spent the morning at his shop making sure everything was in order there.

But now he was home, a home that appeared to be empty.

“Belle?” he called from the entrance hall. “Lacey?”

Only silence greeted him so he headed upstairs to his bedroom to get more comfortable. He was already tugging on his tie as he entered the room, balancing on his cane to toe off his shoes, when he heard the shower running.

He smiled, Belle must be home as well. And for once, her sister and her infuriating husband were out.

The houseguests hadn’t been an issue, really. He and Belle hadn’t even been in town for much of their stay. But Gold was a private man. He liked having his space to himself. Having people stay with him felt wrong, and it felt like he couldn’t be comfortable in his own home, with his own wife.

So he was going to capitalize on this moment alone with her.

He shrugged off his jacket, unbuttoning his shirt as he made his way to the bathroom door. It was slightly ajar and he pushed it open, steam escaping through the crack. How long had Belle been in there?

The glass door of the shower was fogged up but he could just make out Belle, her back to him and the lovely swell of her backside on display. Her dark hair was slick against her pale back and with a smile, Gold dropped his trousers and boxers.

He’d sneak in the shower with Belle and they could enjoy themselves for a few stolen moments before Rush and Lacey returned to impose on them once more.

He opened the shower door quietly, letting the steam overwhelm him, causing his hair to curl at the ends. Belle still had her back to him, her face upturned to the spray of water.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her shoulder.

“This is a pleasant surprise,” her murmured against her wet skin. He was half hard in anticipation and pressed himself against her lush backside.

Belle screamed.

“What the fuck!” she exclaimed, spinning around.

“Lacey?” he gasped out in horror. His hands quickly dropped to cover his flagging erection.

Lacey wrapped her arms around herself, her loofa falling to the shower floor with a splat.

“Get out!” Lacey exclaimed again.

Gold was caught between wanting to cover his bits and wanting to cover his eyes all the while not wanting to turn around and give Lacey even more of show than she’d already had. He backed away, stepping over the threshold of the shower and slipping a bit on the wet marble floor. His bad ankle gave out and he fell hard on his backside, sending a jolt up his spine that he could feel in his teeth.

“Oh my God, Gold!” Lacey called. She clamored out of the shower, grabbing a towel off the rack on the wall and wrapping it around herself. At least one of them wasn’t completely naked now. “Are you alright?”

He screwed his eyes shut tight, letting himself fall back against the bathroom floor and dragging a bath mat to cover himself.

“No,” he groaned out. “Definitely not.”

“Do you need a doctor?” Lacey asked from above him.

“Only if they have a remedy for total embarrassment.”

Lacey seemed to realize his injury was more to his pride than anything else and she leaned back, snorting out a laugh.

“What the hell were you doing?”

“I thought you were Belle,” he said, still not chancing to open his eyes. Perhaps if he just lay here he’d melt into the floor.

“Well I should hope so,” Lacey shot back.

“What were you doing in my shower?” he asked, cracking an eye open as he realized the oddity of it.

“Guest bathroom’s on the fritz,” she said with a shrug. “Belle told me to use this one.”

“Ah,” he said, shutting his eyes again. “I’ll call a plumber.”

“Thanks,” Lacey replied. There was a long silence and Gold hoped she had left the bathroom but after a moment she spoke again.

“Do you need help getting off the floor?”

He shook his head. “I’ve got no pants on.”

Lacey snorted again. “Trust me, I noticed.”

Gold groaned again wishing he could be anywhere or anyone else.

“I always wondered what Belle saw in you, but now I think I know,” she said with a giggle. “Who knew what was hiding under those suits, Goldie.”

“Please leave,” he pleaded.

“And miss out on this much embarrassment from you? Not likely.”

Gold sat up with a grunt, his hands keeping the bathmat firmly in place.

“Can you at least hand me a towel?” he asked.

Lacey eyed him critically for a moment before grabbing a towel from the linen closet and throwing it at him.

“I’m truly sorry,” he said as he wrapped the towel around himself. He was stuck on the floor for now. If he tried to stand up he’d probably flash Lacey and he didn’t want to deal with that at the moment.

“I know it wasn’t on purpose,” Lacey conceded. “You’re a lot of things Gold but I don’t actually think you’re a pervert.”

“Thank you for that,” he said sarcastically. “Oh, God, please don’t tell your husband.”

“What?” Lacey asked innocently. “That you climbed into the shower naked with me and proceeded to rub your cock against my arse?”

Gold’s head dropped to his hands. “Fuck.”

“What would you do if Nick did the same to Belle?” she asked, patting her finger against her lips as if in thought. “Probably take a few whacks at him with that cane of yours.”

“Not helping, Lacey,” he ground out.

“Not trying to, Gold,” she smirked. A soaking wet woman in a towel should never look so smug.

“Look, it’ll be fine,” she said after a moment, clearly taking pity on him. “It’s pretty hilarious if you think about it.”

“I’ve never mixed the two of you up before,” Gold said miserably. “I’ve prided myself on it. Even before Belle and I were together I’d never mistaken you for each other. This ruins my perfect record.”

“Well in your defense, quite a bit of your blood wasn’t flowing to your head at the moment.”

Gold shot her a nasty look, somehow still managing to look imperious while naked on a bathroom floor.

“We’ll laugh ourselves silly about this someday,” she quipped before finally leaving the bathroom and Gold to his misery.

Someday ended up being at dinner when Lacey regaled Belle and Rush with the whole story.


	5. Chapter 5

Leave it to him to forget something at Gold’s house, Rush thought grumpily as he made his way up the front drive of the pink mansion. They'd been back in their own home for only three days and he was already headed back to the source of his torment. If it had been anything else, he’d have abandoned it to the gaping maw of the house and its antique clutter, but he needed his notebook. 

Luckily, Gold had told him no one was home and to go ahead and have a search, so he dug out the spare key and opened the front door. His office hours had run late and it was almost 5:00, but he wanted to get in and out before he had to make small talk with Gold or Belle.

He’d just turned in to the living room when he was faced with an eyeful of soft, pale, perfect, naked flesh. A moment later Belle screamed and he wheeled around, slamming his eyes shut.

“Rush?” she demanded. “What are you doing here?”

“Forgot something,” he said, still not daring to turn around or open his eyes. “Came to look. Your husband said no one was home.”

“Well, it was meant to be a surprise,” she huffed. “Did you see anything?”

“No,” he lied. 

“Really?”

“No,” he admitted. “I saw everything.”

“You can turn around, I’m covered.”

Rush cracked his eyes open, daring to glance over his shoulder. Belle had a bathrobe wrapped around her, her exquisite body once again covered. 

Belle was blushing, not quite meeting his eyes. “I suppose it’s nothing you haven’t seen before,” she said with a shrug. “I mean, Lacey and I are fairly identical.” 

He wasn’t sure what to say to that, so kept his mouth shut. It was apparently the wrong move. Belle’s eyes finally snapped up to meet his.

“You think she looks better than me, don’t you?” she accused. 

Rush just gaped at her. “There’s no possible way there’s a right answer to that question.”

Belle seemed to deflate, sitting down on the couch and wrapping her arms around herself. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, dropping her head into her hands. “I’m having a bout of low self-esteem lately. I’ve put on a few pounds.”

Rush wasn’t sure what he should do. Part of him wanted to just turn around and leave, but he still needed his notebook. And leaving Belle looking miserable didn’t seem like the right move anyway. 

“Well, I mean…you’re good…you looked good I mean, from where I was standing.”

“Really?” Belle asked, looking up hopefully. “I mean John always tells me he thinks I’m beautiful but he’s my husband. He has to say that. You have no reason to lie to me.”

“You are beautiful,” Rush mumbled out, walking over to the couch and sitting beside her. “I’m married to your twin, so clearly you’re my type.” 

Belle snorted out a laugh. 

“Thank you,” she said, resting a hand on his forearm. Rush wasn’t sure how this afternoon could get any more uncomfortable. 

“I’m sorry I’m acting so weird,” Belle continued. “I’ve just had a very emotionally taxing day.” 

To Rush’s utter horror, Belle took a deep breath before bursting into tears. 

“Belle?” he asked, patting her awkwardly on the back. “Are you alright?”

“I’m pregnant!” she spat out. A moment later her eyes had widened with disbelief. “Oh God and now I’ve told you before I told John! I’m ruining everything!”

“Well, that’s good, right?” he asked, desperate to calm her down. “People like babies, don’t they?”

“It wasn’t planned,” Belle said miserably, wiping at her reddened eyes. “We want children but it wasn’t supposed to happen quite yet. I just finished school and we don’t even really have a permanent address right now. And I don’t know if John is ready for it. I thought if I told him while I was naked it would soften the blow a bit.” 

“Ah,” Rush nodded. So that’s what that display was. He was assuming that was just a typical Tuesday for his brother and sister in law. He was fairly happy to be proven wrong. “I’m sure that was unnecessary. He’ll probably be thrilled.”

Rush had no idea what Gold’s stance on children was, but it seemed the right thing to say. Belle threw her arms around Rush’s neck, hugging him tightly. 

And just because the universe was out to get him, the moment his arms wrapped around Belle, a voice erupted from the doorway.

“What the hell is going on in here?” They sprang apart, looking up to see an enraged looking Gold. 


	6. Chapter 6

“What the hell is going on here?” Gold demanded, looking from his wife to his brother-in-law and back again. Belle was wearing nothing but a flimsy silk bathrobe and had her arms wrapped around Rush’s neck. For his part, Rush had immediately dropped his hands from Belle’s waist when Gold had walked in. That didn’t exactly soothe Gold’s mind. The other man looked like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. 

“It’s not what it looks like,” Belle said at the same moment Rush said “Absolutely nothing.” 

Gold wasn’t sure what was going on. He never thought his wife particularly liked Rush all that much. They certainly weren’t friends, much less anything more. They’d apparently been spending a bit of time together as Belle helped Rush find a house in Storybrooke to surprise Lacey. Could things have progressed between them? He knew he’d married up, that Belle could do infinitely better than him, but if she’d decided to leave him for yet another misanthropic, middle-aged Scotsman he rather thought it was a lateral move.

“What did I just walk in on?” he asked, moving forward into the living room. His hand was tight on the handle of his cane, ready to heave it forward and smack Rush in the face if the need arose. He wasn’t really a jealous man, and he trusted Belle, but the scene in front of him still had him reeling. 

Rush’s eyes flicked to Gold’s cane before he stood up, moving around the sofa as if it could be a barrier to attack. 

“Nothing,” Belle reiterated. “Rush came by to pick up something he left here and I was underdressed.” 

“And he was so thrilled by his luck he gave you a hug?” Gold said dryly. 

“No,” Rush barked. “She was crying. What was I supposed to do?”

That sobered Gold as he took in Belle’s appearance beyond the bathrobe for the first time. Her eyes were puffy and rimmed with red. She _had_ been crying.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, moving forward to sit beside Belle and take her hands in his. “Did he do something to you?”

“Of course not,” Belle said with a shake of her head. “It’s just been a weird day. Everything is fine.”

Gold still wasn’t convinced. 

“Belle, what happened?”

Belle bit her lip, her eyes darting to Rush before answering.

“Rush came by the house. He didn’t think anyone was home so he let himself in. I may have been naked at the time. It was embarrassing for both of us, but now it’s fine.”

Gold’s eyes widened, his head swiveling to Rush. 

“Don’t you knock?” he growled.

“You told me no one was home,” Rush shot back.  

“That doesn’t give you leave to ogle my naked wife!”

“Did you or did you not hump _my_ wife in the shower last week?” Rush snarled out. Apparently his brother-in-law hadn’t let that mishap go. 

“Fair point,” Gold acceded, appropriately chastened. He was never going to live that one down. 

“But that doesn’t explain why you were crying,” Gold continued, turning back to Belle.

“I’m gonna go,” Rush said, heading for the door without another word. 

“What about your notebook?” Belle called after him, but the only thing that answered was the slam of the front door. 

She looked back at Gold, her eyes panicked. Gold was starting to feel slightly sick. Something terrible was about to happen and he had no way of stopping it. 

“Belle,” he said, his fingers tightening on her hands and his voice wavering slightly. “What’s happened?”

Belle pulled her hands from his grip and he felt bereft without her touch. But her fingers just went to work at the belt of her robe, undoing the knot and letting it fall open. His eyes drifted down to her newly exposed breasts and he almost missed her next words.

“I’m pregnant.” 


	7. Chapter 7

Rush stumbled into the apartment, his face ashen, and walked over to the sofa, falling against it dramatically. 

“What happened to you?” Lacey asked, looking up from the book she was reading. 

“Nothing,” Rush muttered back, his voice muffled by the couch cushions.

“Did you get your notebook from Belle’s?” 

Rush just shook his head with a groan.

“It wasn’t there?” Lacey continued prying. 

“No clue. Never got the chance to look.” 

Lacey dropped her book on the side table, standing up from the armchair and walking over to sit next to Rush’s prone form on the sofa. 

“Hey,” she said, running a hand through his shaggy hair. “Is everything okay?” 

“Your sister was naked,” Rush exclaimed, finally sitting up and facing Lacey. “Why are you two always fucking naked?” 

Lacey’s eyes widened. “Would you like me to be naked less often?”

He rolled his eyes. “Well it might keep Gold from humping you.” 

“I was in the shower!” Lacey cried. “Are you still on about this? Did you bust in on Belle for some sort of weird payback?”

“No!” Rush exclaimed. “I just walked in the front door. She was stretched out on the sofa like she was waiting for someone to paint her portrait.”

Lacey snorted out a laugh. “God they’re always kinkier than I think they’ll be.” 

“Lacey,” Rush protested. He was clearly in no mood to go over details.

“I mean she’s just butt naked in the living room at 5:00 on a Tuesday?” Lacey continued. “What if the UPS man came by? What if Gold had someone with him when he got home? What if her brother-in-law had a key to the house?”

“Yes, thank you,” Rush spat. 

Lacey stifled a laugh at her husband’s expense. If he’d walked in, seen Belle stretched out naked, and run home with his tail between his legs, it was still a much less awkward encounter than being naked in the shower with Gold. She still thought Gold won first prize for embarrassing encounters with in laws. 

“So, you saw my sister naked,” she reiterated. 

“Yes,” Rush said miserably. “And please, God, don’t ask me if she looks better than you I’ve already had that conversation today.”

Lacey’s mouth dropped open at that.

“Belle asked _my husband_ if she looked better naked than I do? What the fuck?”

Perhaps Rush hadn’t left immediately after seeing Belle. Something prickled at Lacey at the thought. Had her sister just stood there naked asking for an assessment? What the hell was Belle thinking?

“Cut her some slack,” Rush protested. “She’s having a rough day.”

“Wait, you guys stood around and had a conversation about her day? Was she naked the whole damn time?”

Now it was Rush’s turn to smirk.

“Are you jealous?”

“Well I know she’s your type!” Lacey pointed out.

“No, you’re my type,” he countered. 

“If you hadn’t noticed, Belle and I are identical,” she pointed out. 

Rush just shook his head again. “While you are gorgeous, sweetheart, I’m not just interested in you for your looks.”

Rush’s words and the soft look in his eyes went a far way to soothing Lacey’s ire. But she was still pissed at her sister. 

“So if Belle asked you who looked better what did you say?”

Rush heaved a sigh. “Oh don’t you start too.” 

“I’m dead serious,” Lacey said. “You must have told her something.”

“Yes,” Rush agreed. “I told her I wasn’t playing that game. And I’m not doing it now either.”

“But I’m your wife,” she needled. “You have to tell me I’m prettier.”

“You’re prettier,” he answered without hesitation. 

“I don’t believe you,” she shot back, crossing her arms against her chest. “What are you holding back? Give me something.” 

“You look very similar,” Rush protested. “Honestly. Almost identical.”

“Aha!” Lacey exclaimed, her sharp exclamation making Rush jump. “ _Almost_ identical. So what’s different between us?”

Rush just gaped at her in horror. “I didn’t analyze,” he shot back, standing up from the sofa and striding into the kitchen to root around in the fridge. “I barely had a look at Belle. Believe it or not I am a gentleman. I turned around until she was dressed.”

Lacey followed after him like a dog with a bone. She wasn’t about to let this go until she had an answer.

“Then why did you say almost?” she asked, clinging to that one word.

Rush pulled a beer from the fridge, popping it open and turning back to Lacey. Indecision warred across his face before he finally answered her.

“Her breasts might be slightly bigger.”

Lacey slapped Rush hard against the arm.

“Ouch! What was that for?”

“You think my sister has better tits than me!”

“I didn’t say better, just bigger.”

Lacey rolled her eyes. “Like that’s not the same thing to a man.”

“It’s not,” Rush protested. “Besides I’m sure they’re not usually that big. There’s a reason for it.” 

He realized he’d said too much at the same moment the meaning of his words registered in Lacey’s mind. Both of their eyes widened at the same time. 

“Oh my God!” Lacey screamed. “Oh my God, oh my God, OH MY GOD!”

“I didn’t say anything!” Rush said.

“She’s pregnant!” Lacey smacked Rush against the arm again. “She’s fucking pregnant, isn’t she?”

“Don’t tell her you know,” Rush said miserably. “She hasn’t even told Gold yet.”

But his words fell on deaf ears as Lacey started dancing across the kitchen.

“I’m gonna be an auntie,” she sang out. “I’m gonna be an auntie. Belle’s gonna get fat and I’m gonna be an auntie!” 

Rush sat down at the kitchen table and drank his beer. It was going to be a long nine months if Lacey caught baby fever. 


	8. Chapter 8

There were a few moments in John Gold’s life that he considered absolutely formative to who he was as a person. The first was the day his father left him, abandoned on the door step of his elderly aunts. The second was the day Neal was born, giving him a purpose in life like he’d never known. The third was the day he’d hired Belle as his shop assistant, and something in him knew his life would never be the same.

Today was another such day. 

“Pregnant?” he said raggedly. “With a baby?”

Belle nodded, the look on her face apprehensive at best, at worst a step away from a full blown panic attack. 

“You’re pregnant,” he repeated.

Belle nodded again.

“You’re pregnant with a baby.”

He sounded ridiculous. He couldn’t seem to keep from repeating himself. It didn’t help that Belle’s bathrobe was hanging open exposing everything. Was she trying to distract him from this life changing news?

“Say something,” Belle said, her eyes searching his face for any sign beyond shock.

And he was shocked. They certainly hadn’t planned for this. He always thought it might be nice to have a child together sometime off in the future. But the future was apparently right this moment. He hadn’t had a newborn in 25 years. He wasn’t even sure he remembered how to raise a child. He’d been crap at it the first go around. 

And Belle was still so young. She’d already shackled herself to him in the bonds of matrimony. Adding a child to that would only strengthen that tie. Would she want that?

Gold reached out, pulling the two halves of Belle’s robe closed around her. He needed all his mental faculties in tact for this conversation. 

“Why?” he managed to ask.

Belle arched an eyebrow. “Why am I pregnant?”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “Why are you naked?”

Belle blushed, her eyes casting down. “I wasn’t sure if this was good news or not,” she said. “I thought if I was naked it might soften the blow.” 

Gold’s eyes widened. “Do you think this is good news?” he asked. 

Belle bit her lip, seemingly sizing him up. 

“I know we didn’t plan this,” she said. “I know it’s a surprise.”

“Yes,” Gold agreed, breathlessly.

“But I hope it’s a good surprise,” she continued. “Because I’m going to be a mummy and I’m really happy about it.”

Gold couldn’t help the relief that flooded through him at her words. Because now that the shock was wearing off, he was over the moon. 

“Sweetheart,” he said, pulling her toward him and entwining their hands together. “This is the best surprise I’ve ever had.”

Belle’s face split into a brilliant smile. “You mean it? You’re not upset?”

“Upset?” he asked incredulously. “Why would i ever be upset? We’re having a baby!” He couldn’t help the bubble of mirth that travelled up his throat, emerging in a ridiculous fit of laughter.

Tears sprang to Belle’s eyes again, this time tears of joy. 

“We’re gonna have a baby!” 

She threw herself into Gold’s arms, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. 

Gold held her, feeling completely and wonderfully happy. Until a stray thought popped into his head. He pulled back from her reluctantly, pushing her hair away from her face and cupping her cheek.

“Wait, did you tell Rush you were pregnant?”

Belle’s eyes widened. 

“I maybe have accidentally blurted it out,” she admitted. “I meant to tell you first, but he surprised me.”

Gold shook his head. “That bastard. He took my moment from me. He’s always going to be the first person you told you were pregnant.” 

Belle rolled her eyes. “Don’t be like that.” 

“Like what?” Gold pouted. “He lives in my house, eats my food and now he finds out my wife is pregnant before I do. I’m having words with that man.

“Shower,” Belle said icily. “You don’t have a leg to stand on. You never will. Remember the shower.”

Gold sighed, his head dropping against Belle’s shoulder.

“I’m never living that down am I?”

“Nope,” Belle snorted, combing her fingers through his hair. “But, hey, if Lacey ever gets knocked up I’ll tell her to come to you first. Deal?” 

Gold’s nose wrinkled up in disgust. 

“God help us if those two procreate.”

Belle snorted out a laugh. “Well come upstairs with me, I have something to show you.”

“Oh?” he asked as she stood from his lap, pulling at his hand.

“Yep,” Belle agreed. “It’s under my bathrobe.”

“You don’t have anything under your bathrobe, dear, I’ve already seen that.”

Belle winked at him. 

“Exactly.”

It took no further cajoling to get him up the stairs. 


	9. Chapter 9

“Where are we going?” Lacey asked for the 15th time in 3 minutes. “Please just tell me, Nick.”

She was nearly bouncing up and down, her entire body twisted to face him in the front seat of the car.

“I told you,” Rush said with a smile, keeping his eyes on the road in front of him. “It’s a surprise.”

Lacey huffed, sitting back in her seat and crossing her arms against her chest.

“You suck,” she said petulantly. “I hate surprises.”

Rush’s smile drooped at that. He was trying to present a calm exterior, but inside he was a nervous wreck. He’d done something completely ridiculous and Lacey was either going to slap him or kiss him. Possibly both.

He slowed the car as they entered a small neighborhood with an eclectic mix of homes, all surrounded by neat lawns. It was early fall and the leaves were starting to turn, falling across the driveways and lush grass in a bursting array of color.

He finally slowed the car to a stop in front of a modest two-story cottage with a large picture window. The upstairs windows were fitted with window boxes filled to bursting with daisies in a riot of colors. The little stone path leading up to the cottage door had been swept clean of leaves and there was a welcome mat in place.

Rush steeled himself. He thought he’d done reasonably well. It hadn’t been an impulsive act by any means. He’d spent months looking at real estate and had even enlisted Belle’s help in picking the perfect place; somewhere Lacey would absolutely love. The window boxes had been her idea, something Lacey had always talked about as a child. But buying a house without your wife’s input was a gamble, especially when one’s wife was as opinionated and temperamental as Lacey French.

“We’re here,” he said, as Lacey looked out the window with interest.

“Where?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.

“Home,” he said, his voice suddenly hoarse as though it was hard to get the word out.

Lacey looked at him questioningly before turning back to the house they were parked in front of, comprehension dawning.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” she asked, her eyes huge.

Rush got out of the car, heading around to open Lacey’s door.

“Wait,” Lacey insisted as she climbed out of the cab. “What is happening right now?”

Rush motioned to the house over his shoulder.

“I bought us a house.”

“You bought us a…” her voice trailed off as she just stared up at the cottage, her mouth slightly agape.

“Would you like to go inside?” he asked tentatively. Lacey looked as though she was in shock. He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing yet.

Silence dragged on as Lacey continued to stare at the house and Rush continued to stare at Lacey. Finally he placed a hand on her elbow, steering her up the front drive toward the house. As he fiddled with his keys trying to get the front door open, Lacey suddenly came back to herself.

“What the hell, Nick?” she exclaimed, smacking him on the arm. So he was getting a slap rather than a kiss then. “We already have a home.”

He finished unlocking the door before turning to look at Lacey.

“That apartment was never supposed to be a permanent home,” he said with a shake of his head. “It’s a remnant of a time when I had no direction in life, a time I’d rather forget.”

Lacey shrugged. “I dunno, I have some pretty good memories there.”

“It’s never warm enough,” he said.

“All the more reason to huddle together for warmth,” she countered, winding her arms around his neck. Rush just rolled his eyes. He supposed she wasn’t angry with him after all.

“The water heater just flooded the entire place.”

“And now we have brand spanking new floors!”

Rush gave a beleaguered sigh. “It’s small and cramped.”

Lacey smiled. “We’re small people who don’t take up much space.”

“Well, it might not always just be the two of us,” he said, finally voicing the concern he’d carried around the past few weeks since he’d unceremoniously announced Belle’s pregnancy to his wife.

Lacey’s eyebrows shot up, her mouth gaping open for a moment.

“Is – is that what this is about?” she stammered out, her arms dropping from around his neck. “You want kids?”

“I don’t know,” Rush said, stepping away from her and jamming his hands into his jeans pockets. “Do you?”

Lacey shook her head as if trying to clear it.

“Why would you think I want a baby?” she demanded.

“Well, Belle is pregnant,” he said as though that explained everything. “And you’ve been so excited about it. And after Belle got married, we got married…”

“You think I married you because Belle got married?” she asked, her voice rising. “You think I’m gonna want to get knocked up because Belle is knocked up?”

“No, of course not,” he said.

“Do you think if Belle shaved her head and started playing the tambourine naked in the middle of town I’d just do that too?” she nearly screamed.

Rush glanced around their new neighborhood. Two houses down an elderly woman was scowling at them from her front garden. He waved at her half-heartedly.

“Can we go inside for this conversation?” he intoned.

Lacey let out a huff, storming in through the front door and then turning on her heel dramatically to face him.

“I don’t want a baby,” she said emphatically. “Maybe one day that’ll change, but for now I have no intention of getting pregnant.”

“Oh thank God!” Rush breathed a sigh of relief. “Because I haven’t the first idea what to do with a child. I’ve been a nervous wreck.”

Lacey shook her head. “You have got to talk to me about this shit,” she said. “Did you go and buy a house because you thought I wanted a baby?”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “I bought the house over a month ago, before we knew Belle was pregnant. She helped me pick it out.”

Lacey’s eyes widened. “Belle knew?” she gasped. “She kept a secret from me? That bitch!”

Rush rolled his eyes.

“Well, can you at least tell me if you like it or not?”

Lacey looked around the entrance hall for the first time, her eyes scanning the polished hardwood floors and vintage light fixtures. She moved further into the house and Rush followed behind her silently, waiting for judgment.

Lacey looped through the lounge, ran her fingers over the granite countertops in the kitchen, and checked the downstairs bathroom before heading up the stairs.

He’d had painters in already, freshening up the place though he was certain Lacey would have opinions on paint colors, so everything was in neutrals for the time being. Gold had given him the name of his floor guy who’d got the original hardwood gleaming. He’d had the wiring checked. He’d had a plumber in to install a new claw foot tub in the master bathroom, perfect for bubble baths, like he knew Lacey preferred. He’d sunk quite a bit of money into the place in actual fact, but if Lacey hated it, he’d sell it at a loss tomorrow and they could find something together.

“Well?” he finally asked when he couldn’t take it any longer.

“Is this the master bedroom?” Lacey asked by way of reply, pointing to a door just off the upstairs landing.

“Yes,” he agreed.

Lacey just turned and entered the room, kicking off her heels into a corner and wiggling her toes in the plush carpet. She looked around, taking in the large windows and natural light, the built in book shelves set in to one wall, and the open door to the walk in closet.

Then she pulled her shirt off over her head and cast it into the corner with her shoes.

“What are you doing?” Rush asked, feeling like his brain had completely missed a step.

“Getting comfortable,” Lacey said, reaching behind herself to unhook her bra and tossing it on to the growing pile of clothing. “It’s my house, right?”

Rush’s brain stuttered to a stop as Lacey shimmied out of her skirt. Her tights were next and before he knew it, his wife was standing in their curtainless bedroom in nothing but her panties.

“What are you doing?” he repeated, his eyes tracing over her body. When he’d daydreamed about Lacey’s reaction to their new home, his imagination had completely failed him. What was with the French twins and their constant need for nudity?

“I’m going to fuck you in our new bedroom,” Lacey said calmly, pulling her panties down and letting them pool at her feet. “Because we’re not having a baby and you bought me a house.”

A slow smile spread across Rush’s face.

“So you like it then?”

Lacey launched herself into his arms, her fingers winding in his hair and kissing him soundly. She was naked and perfect, the warmth of her skin seeping through his shirt and making his breath hitch in anticipation.

“It’s perfect!” Lacey squealed as she pulled away from the kiss, Rush following her, loath to let it end. “It’s like my dream home. I can’t believe you bought me a house!”

She kissed him again, pulling him down on to the bedroom floor with her. It wasn’t exactly comfortable but it was hardly the worst place they’d ever had sex.

He set to work lavishing her neck and chest with kisses before he was stopped.

“Wait,” Lacey said, pushing him away with one hand against his chest. His shirt was unbuttoned but he didn’t remember it getting that way. “Can we afford this?”

Rush chuckled. “I had rather a lot in savings. I’ve been living well below my means for years.”

“And you spent it on a house for me?” Lacey asked breathlessly, her eyes suspiciously wet.

“Well, for us,” he clarified. “I intend to live here as well. You know how much I always hated that apartment. Honestly this place is more for me than for you.”

Lacey rolled her eyes, pulling him down on top of her and slipping his jeans down his hips.

“Oh shut up and fuck me, Nicky, we’ve got to christen this place.”

Rush made a mental note to call his carpet-cleaning guy in the morning. There were sure to be stains.


End file.
